Have you checked your Pulse today?

March 2017

Kellie Benn

By Isaiah AlonzoPulse Staff Editor

The March 2017 issue of The Pulse is the seventy-fifth issue published since the Fall of 1998. We asked former reporters and editors to let us know where they are now, their favorite Palo Alto memories, and what advice they would give to current students.

Kellie Benn attended Palo Alto College from Spring 2009 through Spring 2010. After her time at PAC, Benn attended Trinity University, where she completed her bachelor’s degree in Communication and Russian language. After earning her degree, Benn spent the 2012-2013 academic year in Russia teaching English. In 2014, she spent time in Sochi, Russia, covering the Winter Olympics as a flash quote reporter for the Olympic News Service. In 2015, Benn started working as a production editor with the Daily Press in Newport News, Virginia, but in less than a year she was promoted to her current job as the deputy night editor.

“With a background in the Russian language and eight years of experience in the Army, I expected I would be doing government work or possibly even working for the UN. Journalism was always something I enjoyed, but I considered it a backup career. However, the first place to offer me a job when I got back from my Fulbright grant was a newspaper, and I’ve really enjoyed it and gotten some great opportunities and haven’t really looked back since,” wrote Benn. “I enjoyed all of my COMM classes and especially enjoyed opportunities where I got to write, including the time I spent on The Pulse. Those are the memories that stick out to me the most. I really learned a lot, and it provided a great basis and foundation for everything I’ve learned about journalism and communication since then. I was also able to get an internship with the Express-News with the help of Dr. Richter, which was an invaluable experience.”

Take advantage of everything that Palo Alto has to offer. It has some great opportunities to learn and get experience in your chosen profession. Take it seriously. Get everything you can out of it, and take every opportunity you can to maximize your education. It is what you make of it, and you’ll get out of it what you put into it.